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Matrix Management

Depending on the complexity of your organization structure, matrix leadership may involve different levels of complexity, from working across functions within a country, right up to leading a fully integrated global matrix with dual reporting lines and the additional challenges of time zones, cultures and multiple business units.

We support senior matrix leadership in three key areas:

leading the transformation – inspiration, consulting, coaching and support in how to communicate, role model and lead the change to a more matrixed way of working

building capability – building the skills, confidence and people capability needed to lead and succeed in the matrix; face-to-face, through webinar, online or blended

embedding new ways of working – change programs to introduce new ways of working in areas like meetings, travel and decision-making at scale across the organization

Senior Leaders matrix training and support

Right at the top of organizations are the CEO and senior executives, the heads of the major functions, business units and geography. They don’t usually have dual reporting lines themselves but matrix leadership starts here and the people who work for them do usually have multiple bosses.

The matrix has less personal impact on these people so they can sometimes underestimate the impact of the matrix on managers further down the organization.

However the way they inspire, support, communicate the change journey and role model the new behaviours are absolutely critical to a successful implementation of matrix management.

Our work focuses on the leader’s critical role in:

demystifying the structure by ensuring people understand why and how it will work

creating and communicating a clear set of goals

building a shared understanding of the change journey

aligning structure, systems and skills to the new strategy

acting as matrix guardians to fine tune and evolve the structure and way of working

dealing with legacy systems and power structures that may obstruct the new way of working

modelling and sponsoring the new leadership behaviours they want to see

ensuring the development of the ‘informal structure’ – the networks, communities, teams and groups needed for success

making sure that the ‘matrix middle’ – the management tiers most affected by the change– have the capability, confidence and support to do their jobs without high levels of escalation

building an environment that enables the right balance of trust and control for their business

creating a culture, mindset and skill set for success

Global Integration brings inspiration, ideas, process tools and facilitation, combined with learning from other organizations, to stimulate senior leaders’ thinking and help them find the right matrix leadership solution for their own business.

We can also provide support and coaching to help senior leaders think through where the matrix really adds value and to understand their own role in this new way of working.

The ‘matrix middle’ matrix management training and support

We often say that “the matrix is led from the middle.” The complex dilemmas at the intersection of multiple reporting lines have to be managed by this middle management group.

The matrix middle is usually the two or three layers below the senior leadership group. They are the group that are most impacted by this different way of working. Many of them are new to working through influence without authority or being accountable for results where they no longer directly control the resources they rely upon.

Global Integration’s support for these managers often focuses on:

creating goal and role clarity for their people and aligning their goals with others

dealing with higher levels of connection without creating unnecessary meetings, communication and control – staying both connected, and effective

speeding up decision making

establishing decentralized control, trust and empowerment with people they may rarely meet face-to-face

building new sources of influence that don’t rely on authority, and managing accountability without control

creating engaging and participative communication, both face-to-face and when working through technology

leading teams and departments to overcome the barriers of distance, cultures, time zones and organizational complexity

being one of ‘multiple bosses’ – learning to be a matrix performance manager.

We need to ensure that these matrix middle managers have the capability and confidence to deal with these issues themselves. If we don’t give them the inspiration, information, skills and authority to do so we will experience high levels of escalation, delay and dissatisfaction, with the unnecessary cost and loss of talent that this often entails.

“The matrix is a web you can get caught in, or a network you can use to get things done, it all depends on your mindset and skills.”